Apparatus for cutting glue spots attaching a liner to an outer carton



y 1965 o. w. CHRISTENSSON 3,195,291

APPARATUS R CUTT GLUE SPOTS ATTACHING R T0 OUTER CARTON Filed May 15,1961 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. OD WIKAR CHRISTENSSON BY L 0 7%ATTORNEY$ y 1965 o. w. CHRISTENSSON 3,195,291

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING GLUE SPOTS ATTACHING A LINER TO AN OUTER CARTONFiled May 15, 1961 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR OD WIKAR CHRISTENSSON BY oss 4 Ja p ATTORNEYS y 0, 1965 o. w. CHRISTENSSON 3,195,291

APPARATUS FOR CUTTING GLUE SPOTS ATTACHING A LINER TO AN OUTER CARTONINVENTOR OD WIKAR CHRlSTENSSON ATTORNEYS United States Patent 03,195,291 APPARATUS FGR CUTTHNG GLUE SPOTl AT- TAQHHNG A LTNER Til AN@UTER CARTQN Gd Wiirar Christensson, Vikavagen 5, Eromrna, Sweden FiledMay 15, 19611, Ser. No. 116,264 Claims priority, application Sweden, May23, 196i), 5,055/60 13 Claims. (Cl. 53393) This invention relates to thepackaging of certain materials, particularly those which cannot bestored in the outer atmosphere. Packages of this kind may consist of anouter package of cardboard or the like, usually rectangular incross-section, and a lining of vacuum-tight material, as for instanceplastic which is soft and weldable.

These-packages are first closed in the bottom and thereafter filled withthe material to be packed, for instance finely ground coffee. Thereafterthe packages are introduced into a vacuum chamber, where they areevacuated and the upper mouth of the lining is closed. The whole packageis taken out from the vacuum chamber and the outer cardboard package isclosed at its upper end.

To make handling of the package possible during this procedure, it isnecessary to attach the lining to the inner side of the outer package.When such a package is in the vacuum chamber or when the package isoutside of the vacuum chamber before the evacuation, there is nopressure difference between the inside and outside of the package.Therefore there is no risk of deformation of the package. However, whenthe package is removed from the vacuum chamber after the evacuation andclosing of the lining, the exterior of the package is subjected to thepressure of the outer atmosphere, while there is still vacuum in theinterior of the package. This causes a compression of the lining and thepacked material until a counterpressure corresponding to the pressure ofthe outer atmosphere is created. In this state the lining together withthe material packed therein will be some- What hard, and not unlike apiece of soft wood, for instance balsam.

f, on this occasion, the outer package is too strongly attached to thelining, the outer package will follow the shrinking movement, therebycausing a serious deformation. In order to prevent this I have earlierproposed attaching the outer side of the lining to the inner side of theouter package by point-gluing at a number of points, the placement andsizes of said points such that the points will break in a predeterminedway before the outer package has been deformed. The point attachmentsmay be torn oil in a manner similar to the tearing of a perforation rowon a piece of paper, i.e., the different points are torn in sequence oneafter the other like the different perforation bridges are torn apart insequence.

In many cases this arrangement functions perfectly. However, it hasproved that in some cases the arrangement does not function as desired.An investigation of the reasons to this has proved that they areprobably due to the following:

When the package with its contents is introduced into the vacuum chamberto be evacuated, the lining is usually pressed out by the weight or" thecontents in such a way that it presses, at least at the lower parts,tightly against the inner side of the outer package. If further theouter package should have been closed too tightly in its bottom, it mayhappen that the outer atmosphere entering between the lining and thepackage into the parts situated in the lower part of the package, willbe subjected to a rather great resistance. The consequence will then bethat the pressure diiierence required for tearing apart the attachmentpoints between the lining and the outer package in the upper part willbe immediate but will propagate only "ice slowly downwards in thepackage. In such a case a regular tearing apart of the attachment pointsin the desired way will take place.

But if the outer package should be closed at the bottom in such a waythat a strong current of air will enter also from the bottom side, or ifthe lining should be wrinkled in the interior of the outer package sothat channels are formed for conducting air to the bottom, equalizationof the pressure will take place in such a way that the package as awhole is subjected to the same difference in pressure immediately afterthe package has again been subjected to the pressure of the outeratmosphere. In this case the combined rigidity of the gluing points maybe sufficient to prevent the lining coming loose from the outer package,just as a perforated piece of paper can stand a rather large load if itattacks all of the perforation bridges of the paper in the same degree,but may be torn off in turn by a rat, er small load, if it is torn in aninclined direction.

it will be evident from the above, that one cannot foresee which of thetwo indicated cases will occur for a given package. In practice it hasproved that, if the pastingpoints are dimensioned and distributed in asuitable way, most of the packages will be in perfect condition whentaken out from the evacuation chamber. However, in spite of this,periodically a package may be deformed, as it seemed, without anyreason. Investigation about the position and magnitude of thepasting-points proved that these had been exactly like the correspondingpasting-points in a package, which kept its form, when it was taken outfrom the evacuation chamber. It was not possible to remove this deectuntil one knew how the deformation happened and the reason for it.

The object of present invention resides primarily to a method andapparatus for this purpose, and it further resides in an arrangement forovercoming these discussed deficiencies.

According to the invention it is assumed that the attachment of thelining to the outer package is made during the time before the lininghas been filled with the product to be packed. This is because after thelining has been filled with the product, it is pressed out by the weightof the product and will contact the inner side of the outer packageunder sufficient pressure and sufiicient friction to be retained inplace, particularly because the filled lining necessitates the packagebeing kept upright. Thus the ining with its contents finds a sufiicientsupport so that even a loose bag could be kept in its place. Thereforeit is possible in this position, preparatory to the detachment of thelining from the inner side of the outer package, to determine where thetearing of the perforation should begin, and to weaken the connectionbetween the lining and the outer package at this point.

With respect to the method this invention comprises the use of one ormore knife-like means introduced between the lining and the outerpackage before the evacuation of the package, the package already havingbeen filled with the product to be packed. The knife like means detachesthe lining fully or partly from the outer package, beginning at theupper end of the package, where the evacuation opening in the lining isplaced. Thus a part or all of the gluing-point connections is detachedin advance. If only part of the gluing connections are detached inadvance, they should thus be situated in the upper part of the package,i.e., the end of the package, in which the lining is not yet fullyclosed. This step is preferably made before the tearing up in the abovementioned way has started.

It has been proposed to close the mouth of the lining in the mouth end,where the evacuation shall take place, along all of the width of themouth except a small part, preferably applied in the outermost end ofthe mouth of the lining. If this takes place before the knife-like meansare inserted for partial or complete tearing up of the past-- ingconnections, deforming of the lining will be avoided. It may also besuitable during the insertion procedure to secure or fasten the mouth ofthe lining by suitable means, to. prevent it from following theknife-like means downwards and deforming the lining to an extent whichwould later make satisfactory final closing of the mouth of the liningditricult.

Regarding the apparatus which alsoforms part of the present invention,one area of a machine for treating packages by vacuum closing, providedwith knife-like means in connection with a mechanism of movement of sucha character, that the means are introduced between the lining and theouter package on one or several sides.

of the package, from above to a certain suitable predetermined level, sothat the means tear the pasting connections down to this level.

7 With this arrangement means are combined for compulsorily displacingthe knife-like means case thetransport movement of the package itstopped up during the time of this step, or they may be arranged inconnection with a transport means for the packages, so that they executetheir work during the movement of the packages by said transports means.

A further device may be connected with this arrange-p ment for holdingthe mouth of the lining during the cutting procedure. This lastmentioned device may suitably consist of a pair of arms, which, like apair of tongs grip around the mouth of the package, and which do notfollow the knife-like means in their movement downwards in the package.The side surfaces of the arms turned on to the mouth of the package maybe covered by some soft friction-creating material in the form ofcushions, in order to retain the mouth of thepackage in its position andto protect it from damage.

The invention will be further described below in connection with theattached drawing, which shows one form "of execution of the invention,but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to thisform of execution, but that all different kinds of modifications mayoccur within the scope of the invention. In the drawing FIG.

1 shows a general schematic diagram of a closing arrange. 'ment forpackages of the type here concerned; FIG..2

shows in detail the arrangement according to the invention with themeans for gripping the mouth of the lining removed for a betterunderstanding; and FIG. 3 shows the gripping means.

In the arrangement, which is thusshown in FIG. 1 as a form of executionof the invention, the evacuation chamibcrs are provided on a rotatingturret 10; This is assumed to be in continuous movement during rotationin the direction of the arrow 11.

' been introduced. This shutter does not form a part of the presentinvention.

The packages, which are to be evacuated, are closed at the bottom inboth the lining as well as the outer package, and are filled with thematerial to be packed. The packages then are finally welded in the uppermouth of the lining except for a small part at one end of said mouth.They are then introduced into the turret by means of a feederdevice,consisting in a first auxiliary turret 13, receiving the packages from apath 14 and transferring them into an open pocket l2,'which is oppositeto the feeder turret 13. The introduction of the packages downwards inthe package at the time concerned. The t i knife-like means may eitherbe rigidly applied, in which from the turret 13 into a pocket in theturret it? takes place by means of gripper arms, which are connectedwith the turret 1t) and collect the package from its position in theturret i3 and bring it into the concerned pocket in the turret itSimultaneously gripper arms in the turret 13 release the package. Thesegripper arms have collected the package from the transport path 14- andkept the package-sin their place inside of the-turret 13 during itsrotation into the position, in which the packages are to be transferredto the turret it).

During the continuous movement of the turret It in the direction of thearrow ll thepocket is closed, which takes place at about the position15.' The shutter on i the pocket 12 is initially pressed onto theshutter frame by means of a cam 1%, so that sufi'icient'tightening isobtained for the initial formation. of vacuum. About the time when theshutter passes the position 17, the pocket 12 is connected to a lowvacuum conduit, which will, after only a "short movement, provide astrong vacuum, such that the shutter is pulled tightly against 'theshutter frame. The cam 16 is no longer nece-ssar and therefore it may beinterrupted. The low evacuation is assumed to be completed in theposition 13, whereinthe pocket 12 is now connected to a high vacuumconduit, under the influence of which Vacuum is further increased untilheat-sealing of the lining can take place in the position 19. In theposition 2 thereafter air is introduced into the pocket 12 for twodifferent purposes. Firstly the vacuum may be released so that theshutter can be opened for removing the package and secondly theheat-sealing joint may be cooled for obtaining required rigidity. In theposition 21 the shutter is opened, and in the position 22 the package isremoved by means of the same gripper arms which earlier collected thepackage into the chamber 12. For removing the package a furtherauxiliary turret 23 is used.

The above discussed shrinking of the lining takes place in the position2%, where air is introduced into the evacuation chamber 12, without theouter package thereby being subjected to deformation. Theperforation-like gluing between the lining and the outer package is tornat this point to such a degree, that the lining can shrink withoutdeformation of the outer package. However, for reasons which have beenindicated above, before the package is introduced into the. turret ltl,it is necessary to have already partly or eventually fully detached thelining from the inner side of theouter package by means of theknife-like'means. These knifelike means therefore are arranged in theformal execution shown, in the turret 13.

In FIG. 2 a section through the gripper arms and the package in theposition is shown, which these parts assume inside of the turretlS. Thepackage is indicated byStl. The gripper arms are mounted on a support31. For making the explanation more clear the two foremost gripper armshave been de-mounted. The two back gripper arms are seen at 32 and 33. p

The package is closed in its bottom 34, but the closing 'flaps of theouter package are bent out .in the top by means of special hooks. Thus,theclosing flaps corresponding to long sides of the package are seenat35 and 36, and the corresponding hooks at 37' and 38, respectively. Themouth of the package, which has been welded together in the way statedabovepractically along all of its width, is indicated at 39.

The knife-like means 40 and 41 are shown in FIG. 2 in their raisedpositions, either before they have been lowered in'order of partly todetach the lining from the outer package, or after this. operation hastaken place. In FIG. 2 only two such knife-like means 49 and il,respectively are shown, but it is obvious that one can provide suchmeans corresponding to all four sides of the package,.if this should inthe specific case be found to be required. In suitable cases there isnothing preventing the use- 0f only one knife-like means 4% or 41 ifthis should prove to be sufiicient. The constructor, of course will beable to determine the number of such means according to the needexisting in any separate case, and he may also determine the number ofcontrol devices needed.

In the form of execution of this invention shown in FIG. 2, there areonly two knife-like means 40 and 41 provided, and these are intended tobe controlled by means of the same control apparatus. For this purposethey are attached to a head 42, which is mounted in a displaceable guide43 in a bearing 44. The guide is, by means of a bolt 45, connected to anarm 46, which has a bearing surface 17, and which is made in the form ofan angular lever so that it receives a second arm 48 with a followerpulley 49 in a groove, formed between two cam contours 519.

In the parts hitherto described the arrangement functions in thefollowing way:

The package 30 being introduced into the turret 13, where it is retainedby means of the gripper arms 32, 33, the follower pulley 49 is displacedinwardly in the groove between the cam contours Si) during thecontinuous rotation of the turret, and due to this action the leverconstruction 45-48 is turned in clock-wise direction. Thereby the guide43 is lowered in its bearing 44, receiving the knife-like means 41 41,which enter between the lining and the outer cardboard in the package311 and cut up the pasting places in its path. After this has takenplace, the knife construction 4-0-41 is again raised up by the influenceof the arms 46 and 47, the follower pulley 49 and the groove between thecam contours 511. When the package is introduced into the vacuum chamber12 in the turret 111, it is thus already provided with a tearing devicefor the eventually remaining pasting points, and one may now be fullysure, that the required tearing up of them will take place without anydeformation of the outer package. The cam contours 50 may determine theextent of movement of the knife-like means 41 41.

However, there is a risk that in the movement of the knife-like means40, 41 into the space between the outer package and the lining, themouth 39 of the lining shall be displaced, so that it is no longersituated in the correct place for finally welding at the step 19, asshown in PEG. 1. For preventing this, a further arrangement has beenmade, which is shown in FIG. 3.

A tong is formed by two arms 69 and 61, which are oscillatable aboutshaft bolts 62 and 63, respectively. The two arms 6% and 61 are mutuallyconnected by means of a screw spring 64, the ends of which are attachedto a couple of pins 65 and 66, respectively, on each of the arms 60 and61, respectively, so that the screw spring tends to contact the arms.The arms 61) and 61 at their lower ends, which are positioned exactlyopposite to the mouth of the lining, carrying two cushions 67 and 68,respectively of some friction material sufficiently weak to avoid damageto the mouth of the lining by the pressure from the cushions 67 and 68.

On the head 42., which carries the two knife-like means 419 and 41, twopins are provided, each carrying one pulley. The pins are indicated by69 and 7t and the pulleys by 71 and 72, respectively. These pulleys thusmove up and down, respectively in time with the movement of theknife-like means 41) and 41, respectively. The pulleys thereby pressagainst a pair of cam contours 73 and 74, respectively, which areprovided on the arms 60 and 61, so that at the upward movement of theknife-like means 40 and 41, and after they have been raised up to aposition fully above the attachment surface between the lining and theouter package, the arms 60 and 61 are pressed apart for releasing themouth of the lining. On the other side, the arms 69 and 61 are forced,at the lowering movement of the knife-like means 40 and 41, to griparound the mouth of the lining and retain this in its position, saidarms then'being free to execute their 6 closing movement under theinfluence of the spring 64 without any hindrance from the pulleys 69 and70.

What'I claim is:

1. In apparatus for packaging a substance in a package having an outerpackage portion and an evacuated liner of soft material, the said linerhaving been at least partially attached to the outer package portion bygluing prior to evacuation, the package being held in a package holder,and the package holder being moveable during packaging, the improvementscomprising: reciprocating knife-like means actuated in synchronism withthe movement of said package holder to at least partially cut the gluingattaching the liner to the outer package portion, and further comprisingguide bearing means for the reciprocating knife-like means, theknife-like means including a reciprocating guide shaft operable in thebearing means.

2. The improvement according to claim 1 and further comprisingcooperating cam means to operatively control the movement of theknife-like means.

3. The improvement according to claim 2 wherein the cooperating cammeans includes a groove, a follower pulley movable relatively to andcooperating with said groove, and lever means connecting the pulley andthe said guide shaft.

4. The improvement according to claim 1 and further comprising means togrip the liner during the movement of said knife-like means.

5. The improvement according to claim 4 wherein the gripping meanscomprises a pair of pressure blocks gripping the liner therebetween.

6. The improvement according to claim 5 wherein each of said blocks ispivotably mounted on arms, and further comprising means for controllingthe movement of said blocks.

7. The improvement according to claim 6 wherein the controlling meanscomprises cooperating cam means actuable by the movement of saidknife-like means.

8. The improvement according to claim 7 wherein the cam means comprisesfollower pins attached to said knife-like means, and a cam contourattached to each of said block arms.

9. The improvement according to claim 6 and further comprising biasingmeans urging the said blocks together.

10. In apparatus for packaging, the improvement comprising: means forsupporting in an upright position a package having an outer portion ofrelatively stiff material and an inner liner of soft material, the outerportion being at least partially open at its top and the inner linerbeing at least partially attached to the outer portion at respectivesides by gluing, means defining a path for moving of the supportingmeans and the outer package during packaging, reciprocal knife-likemeans insertable between the liner and outer portion at the top topartially cut the gluing attaching the liner to the outer portion, andreciprocating means responsive to the movement of the supporting meansto operatively reciprocate the knife-like means and to insert andwithdraw the knifelike means, said reciprocating means comprises a shaftfixed to the knife-like means and means defining a bearing surface forreciprocation of the shaft therein, means defining a cam surface, afollower pulley engaging the cam surface and constrained to move alongthe cam surface, and means connecting the follower pulley and shaft toreciprocate the shaft in response to the movement of the followerpulley.

11. The improvement according to claim 161 and further comprisinggripping means to grip the liner at its upper end during insertion ofthe knife-like means.

12. The improvement according to claim 11 wherein the gripping meanscomprises a pair of opposed pressure blocks defining means to engage aportion of the liner therebetween, spring means urging the blockstogether, and control cam means operable to separate the blocks onwithdrawal of the knife-like means.

7 13. The improvement according to claim 12 wherein 2,133,367 10/38Wagner 53-22 the control cam means comprises a pair of follower pu112,679,292 5/54 I BaTrett 156584 leys mounted on the knife-like means,and a camcon-tom 2,685,925 8/54 Flener et al. I 156584 fixed to each :ofthe pressure blocks, the follower pulleys and pressure blocksv inresponse :to the withdrawal of engagingrespective camcontours to movethe contours 5 OTHER REFERENCES 3 Packaging Review, pages 44 and 45,April 1960 issue. the knife-like means.

References Cited by theExaminer FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 JOHN C. CHRISTIE, TRAVIS S. McGEHEE, 1,970,1938/34 Rieb'el 53--22 Examiners.

1. IN APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING A SUBSTANCE IN A PACKAGE HAVING AN OUTERPACKAGE PORTION AND AN EVACUATED LINER OF SOFT MATERIAL, THE SAID LINERHAVING BEEN AT LEAST PARTIALLY ATTACHED TO THE OUTER PACKAGE PORTION BYGLUING PRIOR TO EVACUATION, THE PACKAGE BEING HELD IN A PACKAGE HOLDER,AND THE PACKAGE HOLDER BEING MOVEABLE DURING PACKAGING, THE IMPROVEMENTSCOMPRISING: RECIPROCATING KNIFE-LIKE MEANS ACTUATED IN SYNCHRONISM WITHTHE MOVEMENT OF SAID PACKAGE HOLDER TO AT LEAST PARTIALLY CUT THE GLUINGATTACHING THE LINER TO THE OUTER PACKAGE PORTION, AND FURTHER COMPRISINGGUIDE BEARING MEANS FOR THE RECIPROCATING KNIFE-LIKE MEANS, THEKNIFE-LIKE MEANS INCLUDING A RECIPROCATING GUIDE SHAFT OPERABLE IN THEBEARING MEANS.